NEW END-TO-END TRAVEL PROCESS LOWERS TRAVEL COSTS FOR BCD CLIENT
Multinational consulting firm reaches 66% online adoption rate the first month and saves up to 45% in agency costs.
Challenge
A leading multinational consulting firm had a particular set of challenges in Belgium. Their complex booking and expense process was driving up invoice errors and travel costs. The cumbersome process required manual approvals and administration through an on-site agency setup. The firm wanted an end-to-end solution to make the process easier, faster and more accurate, from booking to approval and administration. They also wanted to reduce office space and requested that we achieve their goals within a two-year time frame.
Approach
We worked with our client to develop a new, completely automated end to-end travel process. The implementation of the new process took several steps. BCD installed an online booking tool along with TripSource®, our total trip management platform for travel arrangers and travelers. Travelers can access the content they need to quickly and easily plan, compare, and book their reservations. It also makes it easy for them to stay in the online environment rather than go outside of it, which benefits their company’s travel management.
To ease the approval process, we set up our Trip Authorization solution and integrated our client’s policy. Now only trips outside the existing travel policy need approval and they are sent directly to a designated approver. Trips within policy are automatically approved and all data is checked and matched to the right invoices.
We also send a daily feed of booked and approved data directly to our client’s server. Their SAP solution automates data processing and compares invoiced data and approved data. This enables automatic approval of the invoices and integration of all expenses related to the trip. In collaboration with their financial solutions partner, we set up an electronic feed to upload invoices onto their server. This further eliminates manual processes, like scanning and keying in paper invoices.
Results in brief
- End-to-end solution saved customer up to 45% in travel agency costs.
- New administration process includes automated booking, approval and invoicing, all leading to fewer errors and mismatches.
- New online booking process increases traveler satisfaction.
They developed a web application linked to their SAP system and to the online booking tool. With this, they can transfer the correct online and offline billing information into the online booking flow. We developed a database which allows travelers to link their project number to the correct client billing entity, ensuring a 100% invoice accuracy.
Results
The newly created online end-to-end solution includes an automated administration flow. The company saves on service fees and office space. The new authorization and online environment increases the online adoption ratio and helps them monitor and control travel costs. In one month, our client reached a 66% online adoption rate and reported savings of up to 45% in agency costs. And we did it in one year instead of two.